Yesterday in Milwaukee, our long waited talk about the Milwaukee Streetcar is over. The vehicle came in from Pennsylvania via a truck and it was parked downtown near the Post Office at around 11:30am . And yes, the interest “per se” was building due to a fight that lasted for over 2 decades in an idea to connect means of transportation in the city. It really started with former Mayor John Norquist.

Just to think, as of the newslinks, it’s been 60 years this month of March since a Streetcar last appeared in Milwaukee, and it’s here. Many of us under 60 years old only saw Milwaukee Streetcars in museums, books, displays of the past when Milwaukee was coming up. And yes after that, the buses came in for MCTS.

Now after all the debate, after all the madness, after all the protesting, after all the ideas that Potawatomi Hotel & Casino would pay for the first year and nicknamed the vehicle “The Hop” if you will, and many others: even my “letter” to the City of Milwaukee Common Council of making that big decision on this blog of the need of jobs in the city, NOW IT’S HERE! Lock it up with an iron clad and let it operate. And speaking of that, The Streetcar needs folks to work!

Now since it’s here, word is that the testing will continue for the rest of the year to make sure that it’s in place starting in April. We just can’t ride the thing out of the gate. And yes of course the naysayers will have their continued say. But like many things: it will all come around in time. In my view.

The Streetcar or The Hop may seem controversial, but like the book by Eric Bischoff which it titled promptly to a point: “Controversy Creates Cash.”

So let’s give this thing a chance. After all, is this a country of opportunity? Plus this should be some sort of small victory in Wisconsin after the blown coverage of the High Speed Rail being faulted by Scott Walker.